Automatic water-feed and safety apparatus for steam-boilers.



l No. 736,940. PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903.

0. J. l6I D. GOUGHLIN.

AUTOMATIC WATER FEED AND SAFETY APPARATUS EUR STEAM BOILERS'.

APPLICATION f ILBD 00T. 24. 1902.

we Nonms Penas co., PHoYo-Ll'rwo., wAswwGToN. n. c,

PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903.

0. J. & D. COUGHLIN. v AUTOMATIC WATER FEED AND SAFETY APPARATUS FOR. STEAM BOILERS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 24. 192.

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N0 MODEL.

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Non/30,040V Y y PATBNTED AUG.25,1903.

0; J. 0 D. 00UGHLIN.

AUTOMATIC WATER' FEED AND SAFETY APPARATUS FOR STEAM BOILERS..

\ `A1 10.10A.'Txongllmm 00124. 1902. No MODEL. s SHEETS-SHEET a..

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UNITED STATES rammed August 25, 190e.

PATENT OFFICE.

OWEN JOHN COUGHLIN, OF JOLIET, ILLINOIS, AND DANIEL OOUGHLIN OF DODGE CITY, KANSAS.

SEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent N 0. 736,940, dated August 25, 1903. Application filed October 24,1902. Serial No. 128,610. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern/.Q

Be itknown that we, OWEN JOHN COUGHLIN, residing at Joliet, in the county of Will and State of Illinois, and DANIEL OOUGHLIN, residing at Dodge City, in the county of Ford and Stateof Kansas, citizens of the United States, have invented a new and -useful Automatic VVater-Feed and Safety Apparatus for Steam-Boilers, of which the following isa specication.

The present invention relates to certain improvements in automatic water-feeding and safety appliances for steamboilers of that class in which a float or floats controlled by the water in the boiler actuates an automatic feed-water mechanism when the level of water is below the normal.

One of the principal ob jects ofthe invention is to provide a simple and economical device whereby on the lowering of the-watcr-level a feed-pump, injector, or similar water-feed is set into operation and maintained in operation until the water is restored to the normal level, the supply being then cut off automatically. i

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved means in the nature of a safety appliance, whereby the fire in the firebox of the boiler may be automatically eX- tinguished when. the water is reduced to such a level as to endanger the safety of the boiler or to cut olf the supply of fuel in boilers of that class using oil or similar fuel fed through a valved supply pipe or passage.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of this character which may be applied to movable boilers, such as are used on locomotives andother vehicles and Aon marine boilers. Y

Vith these and other objects the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an elevation, partially in section, of a boiler feed-water and safety appliance constructed in accordance with the invention and illustrating the same as applied to an ordinaryform of boiler. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view of a portion of the mechanism for setting the pump or other water-feedin g device into operation and for sounding an alarm. Fig. 3 is a sim ilar view of the valve and valve-operating mechanism, which is actuated when the water-level is reduced to a dangerous point. Fig. 4l is a detail sectional view of a sli ghtly-modied apparatus adapted for use in connection with locomotives and other movable boilers. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the apparatus somewhat modified for application to boilers receiving water from a pressure supplypipe. Fig. (i is a sectional elevation of a modiiication of the cylinder shown in Fig. 2.

Sim ilar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several iigurcs of the drawings.

When the device is to be employed in connection with a stationary boiler, I employ a cylindrical casing l, having at its upper end a small laterally-extemling side chamber 2. -The lower end of the cylinder is conical in form and is provided at its lowest point with acentrally-disposed drainage-openinghaving a suitable valve or petcock for draining the cylinder for the removalvof sediment. The lower portion of the cylinder is in communication with the boiler, at a point below the water-line, through a pipe 3, and its upper 4end is connected to the steam-space of` the boiler through a pipe 4, so that the water in the cylinder will be maintained at the same level as that in the boiler and in the gageglass.

Extending into the chamber 2 are two tubes 5 and-6, each provided at its open upper end with a valve-seat for the reception of a taper- .ing valve, said valves, under normal conditions, being full and preventing the passage of steam from the steam-space of the cylinder into the pipes. In this chamber `are also arranged a pair of standards 7 and 8, the standard 7 supporting a lever 9, having at one end a valve l0, adapted to close the upper end of the valve 5, and the opposite end of said lever being pivotally connected to a float ll, formed of any suitable material and partly submerged in the water when the water-line is normal, the float being raised and the valve depressed into closed position. The central portion of the float 11 is provided with avertical opening for the passage of a rod 12, depending from one end of a lever 13, mounted on the standard 8, the lower end of said rod carrying a float 14, which is entirely submerged in the water under normal conditions. At one end of the lever 13 is a valve 15, normally dep essed to close the inlet end of the tube 6. hen the boiler is properly attended to and the water maintained at a proper level,

` both floats are elevated by the water and the valves are maintained in closed position. Should the Water recede to a point below the normal, the float 11 is lowered and the valve 10 opened, permitting steam to pass through the pipe 5 to a mechanism through which a feed-pump, injector, or other similar device is operated to force water into the boiler.

At a convenient point on or near the boiler is a cylinder 17, having piston receiving chambers 18 and 19 of different area adapted, respectively, for the reception of pistons 2O and 21, the latter piston being of smaller diameter than the bore of the cylinder in order to permit the leakage of steam for the sounding of an alarm, as hereinafter described. Extending from the steam-space of Jthe boiler is a steam-pipe 23, having` a gate-valve 24, arranged immediately under the cylinder 17 and connected to the piston-rod 25 of the pistons 2O and 21. The steam-pipe at a point beyond the valve is connected to the upper end of the cylinder 17 by a branch pipe 27, the main steam-pipe at this point being of comparatively large area and connected by a pipe 28 tol a feed-pump, injector, or other suitable device for introducing water into the boiler. At one side of the cylinder 17 is connected a pipe 29, carrying a whistle or similar alarm 30. When the water-level is lowered and the valve 10 opened, steam is admitted from the steam-.space of the cylinder 1 through the pipe 5 to the cylinder 17, the steam entering at a point under the piston 2O and elevating both of the pistons 2O and 21 and the valve 24. When the valve 24 is opened, steam from the boiler 23 immediately passes through the pipe 28 to the water-feeding device and starts the latter into operation. At the same time a portion of the steam passes from the enlarged pipe 23 through the branch pipe 27 to the upper portion of the cylinder 17. At this time both of the pistons 2,0 and 21 are under boiler-pressure; but the superior area of the cylinder 2O receives the greatest pressure and the valve 24 is held `open while the steam entering through the pipe 27 leaks around the upper piston 21 and passes through the pipe 29 to the whistle 30, the' latter being sounded continuously during all the time steam is passing to the pipe 23. The pump or other feeding device continues in operation until the water-level in the boiler reaches the normal, and at this time the buoyant float 11 will be elevated and valve 10 closed to cut off the supply of steam to the lower portion of the cylinder 17 The steam-pressure exerted on the upper piston 21, and to some extent on the upper side of the piston 20, then serves to depress both pistons and force the valve 24 to its closed position, thus cutting off the supply of steam tothe whistle and to the water-feeder. Any water of condensation which may accumulate in the lower portion of the cylinder 17 and the steam-pipe 5 may be withdrawn through a petcock 31 at the lowest portion of the steam-pipe.

The apparatus thus far described will maintain a constant water-level in the boiler and is entirely automatic in its operation; but should the water feeding device fail to operate through failure of the steam or water connections or from other cause or should this portion of the mechanism be omitted or temporarily placed in inoperative position provision is made for extinguishing the fire in the iire-box or for cutting off a fuel-supply when the water-line is lowered to such a point as to endanger the safety of the boiler or the burning out of the crown-sheet.

To the pipe 3, connecting the boiler and the lower portion of the cylinder 1, is connected a downwardly-extending pipe 35, extending through the frame or casing 36 of the iiredoor 37 and terminating in a sprayer or similar water-distributin g device at a point above the fire. In the pipe 35 is a valve 38, the stem of which extends into and through a small cylinder 39 and terminates at a point beyond the outer cylinder-head in a knob 40. The cylinder 39 is connected to the lower end of the steam-pipe 6 and is provided with a piston 41, secured to the valve-stem. When the water reaches a dangerously low point or drops to a level below the bottom of the gageglass, the oat 14 lowers and raises the valve 15, permitting steam to pass through the pipe 6 into the cylinder 39 and force the pistons to the rear and open the valve 38, permitting Water to flow into the fire-box and extinguish the ire lbefore the crown-sheet is entirely un- IIC covered, so that all danger of burning out of the crown-sheet or explosion is prevented. The water-pipe 36 is preferably extended through the frame or casing of the lire-door in order to prevent cutting through the shell of the boiler or lire-box, and thus weakening the boiler.

In furnaces using liquid hydrocarbon as a fuel or in furnaces employing iine fuel, such as sawdust or coal-du st fed by an air or steam blast, the pipe 35 is omitted and the valve 38 is placed in the fuel-supply or draft pipe and is moved to closed position by the steam-pressure in order to shut oif the supply of fuel to the lire-box.

The device thus far described is adapted especially for use in connection with stationary boilers; but it may be employed with but slight modiiication in connection with locomotive and other movable boilers.

When used in connection with a locomotiveboiler, the cylinder l is enlarged in order to give sufiicient room for the floats to swing back and forth with the motion of the boiler, and thus prevent chafing and rubbing on the sides of the cylinder. The steam-pipe 4, leading from the steam-space of the boiler to the upper end of the cylinder, is provided with a valve-seat 43, against which may seat an upwardly-closing ball-valve 44, the latter being' normallydisposed below the seat and in open position to permit the free passage of steam from the boiler to the cylinder. When from any cause the boiler receives a quick downward jar, the rush of water into the bottom of the cylinder from the boiler would force the steam out at the top of the cylinder. When this occurs, the upward movement of the water and steam forces the valve 44 to its seat and retains the valve in closed position until the boiler regains its normal position and the steam-pressure from the boiler again forces the valve to open position.l The connecting pipe 3', which extends from the water-space of the boiler to the lower end of the cylinder, is provided with a valve-seat 45 and a ballvalve 46, which normally is in open position and allows the free passage of the water between the boiler and cylinder, a small quantity of the water also passing through an opening `47, formed in the pipe 3 at a point to the rear of the valve-seat. Should the boiler receive a quick upward jar, the water starts to rush back from the cylinder into the boiler, thus closing the valve 45 and holding the water in the cylinder. If the boiler should remain in its inclined position and water in the boiler is below the extreme low-water mark, the water in the cylinder will iiow gradually through the opening 47 to the boiler. This opening is so small that the rush of water when the boiler is surging would make no material difference in the action of the floats; but should the boiler remain in the inclined position to which it is moved the opening is suflicientlylarge to permit the water to return to the boiler in time to allow the iioats to operate and either start the feed-pump or extinguish the iire, as the case may be. With the exception of the valvcd steam and water connections and the shape ,of the cylinder l' the construction of the device is similar and its operation precisely the same as that previously described in Fig. 1.

In applying the device to boilers Where the water is fed to the boiler from a high-pressure supply pipe the apparatus is arranged as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

The construction and arrangement of the several parts within the cylindrical chamber 1 is the same as that previously described, and the steam-pipe 5 leads from the upper portion of said chamber to the other side of tendswithin the cylinder 17 and is adapted to be engaged by the piston 21 when lthe latter is moved upwardly under pressureof steam entering through the pipe5 to the lower portion of the cylinder, and when this occurs the valve 51 is moved to open position and steam is admitted to the upper portion of the cylinder 17, its pressure being exerted on-the upper piston and sufficient steam leaking past said piston to sound the alarm.

.At one side of the boiler is a pipe 55, through which water is forced under high pressure, and this pipe is-connected by apipe 23to the boiler, there being a valve 24 located within said pipe and operatively connected to the stem 25 of the two pistons. When the water becomes low in the boiler, steam is admitted to the pipe 5 to the lower portion of the cylinder 17 and raises the piston 20', thus opening the valve 24 and allowing water to enter the boiler from the pressure-supply pipe. The upward movement of the stein 25 and the two pistons in the cylinder 17 opens the valve 51 and allows steam to enter the upper portion of the cylinder and exert pressure on the upper piston and at the sametimesoundthe alarm-whistle 30. When the water-level is restablished, the supply of steam is cut oli' through the pipe 5/, and the boiler-pressure being still exerted on the upper face of the piston 21 moves said piston to its lowest position and closes the valve 24', cutting off the supply of water, after which the valve 51 moves to closed position and is maintained in closed position by the steampressure to prevent the sounding of the alarm.

While the construction herein described, and illustratedin the accompanying drawings, is the preferred form of the device, it is obvious that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacricing any of the advantages of the invention. v

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is- 1. The combination with a steam-boiler, of a feed-water apparatus, a steam-pipe extending between the boiler and said feed-water apparatus, a valve in said steam-pipe, a cylinder, a double piston having portions of difierent area located in the cylinder and connected to the valve,a chamber connected to the steam and water spaces of the boiler, a steam-pipe leading from said chamber to the cylinder for action on the piston of largest area, means for admitting steam under boiler-pressure to said IOO cylinder for action on the 'piston of smaller area, a valve for controlling the iiow of steam from the chamber to the pipe, and a float located within the chamber and operatively connected to said valve.

2. The combination with a steam-boiler, of a feed-water apparatuaasteam-pipe connecting the boiler to said feed-water apparatus, a valve in said steam-pipe, a cylinder having bores of different diameter, a pair of pistons located in said cylinder and of dierent area, a piston-rod connecting both pistons to the valve, a steam-supply pipe connected to the cylinder and serving as a source of pressuresupply for the piston of smallest area, a iioatcontaining chamber connected to both the steam and the water spaces of the boiler, a steam-pipe leading from the steam-space of said chamber to a point below the piston of largest area, and a float-controlled valve for governing the passage of steam from the chamber to the cylinder.

3. The combination with a steam-boiler, of a feed-water apparatus, a steam-pipe leading from the boiler to the feed-water apparatus and having an enlarged portion adjacent to the boiler connection, a valve in the enlarged portion of the pipe, a cylinder having bores of different diameter, abranch steam-pipe extending from the enlarged portion of the main steam-pipe to the smallest bore of the cylinder, a piston located in the smallest cylinderbore and of a diameter somewhat less than that of the cylinder, a steam-whistle having a piping connection with the cylinder and adapted to be actuated by the steam leaking` past the said piston, a second piston located in the cylinder-bore of largest diameter, a piston-rod connecting the valve to both pistons, a float-containing chamber connected to both the steam and water spaces of the boiler, a steam-pipe leading from the steam-space of the chamber to a point below the larger piston, and a float-controlled valve for governing the passage of steam from the chamber to the cylinder.

4c. The combination with a steam-boiler, of a cylindrical casing having connections with both the steam and the water spaces of the boiler and provided at its upper end with a laterally-extended chamber, steam-actuated feed-water and safety appliances adapted for successive operation, steamsupply pipes leading thereto and having open upper ends disposed within said chamber, valves adapted to close the open upper ends of said pipes, a pivotally-mounted lever connected to each valve, a pair of buoyant floats arranged in the cylinder an d disposed one above the other, the upper oat being provided with a vertically-disposed passage or opening, a rod extending through said passage and connecting one of the levers to the lowermost fioat, and means for connecting the upper float to the second lever to thereby permit the successive operation of the floats as the water-level is gradually lowered, the lowering movement of the upper float starting the feed-water appliance into operation, and the lowering movement of the lower float effecting the operation of the safety appliance.

5. The combination with a steam boiler having a fire-box and a fire-door, of a floatcontaining chamber connected to both the water and the steam spaces of the boiler, a water-pipe leading through an opening in the fire-door casing and adapted to discharge water into the fire-box, a valve in said pipe, a cylinder, a piston therein, a combined valvestem and piston-rod connecting the valve and piston and extending through the outer end of the cylinder to permit the manual return of the valve to closed position, a steam-pipe leading from the steam-space of the chamber to the cylinder, and a float-controlled valve disposed in said chamber and normally closing said pipe.

6. The combinationwith a boiler, of a floatcontaining l chamber connected to both the steam and the water spaces of the boiler, selfclosing valves disposed in the connections and operable on the inflow of water to the chamber due to the surging of the water in the boiler and the consequent increase of pressure above the boiler-pressure, and feed-water and safety appliances having operative connections controlled by floats located within said chamber.

7. The combination with a steam-boiler, of a chamber, pipes connecting the chamber to both the water and steam spaces of the boiler, floats disposed in said chamber, a steam-actuated boiler safety appliance, a steam-pipe leading therefrom to a pipe within the chamber, a fioat-controlled valve for governing the fiow of steam through said pipe, an automatic valve disposed in the pipe connections between the chamber and the boiler, said valves being movable to closed position by excess pressure in the chamber due to surging of the water in the. boiler, there being an auxiliary opening in the water-pipe for permitting the return of water from the chamber to the boiler by gravity, substantially as specified.

8. The combination with a steam-boiler, of a chamber having connections with both the steam and the water spaces of the boiler, a boiler safety appliance, a steam-pipe connected thereto and extending within the steamspace of the chamber, a valve normally-closing said pipe, a pivotally-mounted float for controlling the movement of the valve, the body portion of the chamber being enlarged to permit free oscillatory movement of said float, substantially as specified.

9. The combination with a steam-boiler, of a water-feed pipe, a valve, a cylinder, a piston located in the cylinder and connected to the valve, a chamber connected to the steam and water spaces of the boiler, a steam-pipe leading from said chamber to the lower porvI tion of the cylinder, a Valve for controlling the How of steam from the chamber to said pipe, a float located within the chamber and operatively connected to said Valve, means for placing the upper portion ofthe cylinder in communication with the steam-space of the boiler, and a Valve for controlling the flow of steam to the upper portion of said cylinder.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing es our own We have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

OWEN JOHN COUGHLIN. DANIEL COUGHLIN. lVitnesses as to O. J. Coughlin:

WILLIAM H. CLARE, JN0. MCGARVEY. Witnesses as to Daniel Coughlin:

J. N. WINROW, L. T. BARTON. 

